w,v‘ *tHSlTY  OF 


WHO  SHALL  BE  YOUR  ADVISERS? 


BY  PRESIDENT  TUTTL 


“ Sirs,  ye  should  have  hearkened  unto  me,  and  not  have  loosed  from  Crete 
and  to  have  gained  this  harm  and  loss.”  Acts  xxvii,  21. 

The  winds  and  waves  are  proverbial  for  instability  and 
power.  The  discoveries  of  modern  science  have  not  changed 
this  fact,  which  is  as  apparent  now  as  in  those  far-off  times 
when  the  Apostle  Paul  accomplished  his  famous  voyages  on 
the  “great  sea.”  The  waters  of  the  sea  still  threaten  the 
destruction  of  the  stoutest  ships,  and  so  treacherous  are  they 
that,  smooth  as  glass  now,  or  only  agitated  with  gentle  wave- 
lets, in  an  hour  they  may  be  swept  with  furious  tempests  into 
great  waves  that  shall  cause  the  boldest  sailor  to  cry  out  in 
terror. 

About  the  first  of  October,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  sixty- 
two,  a ship  was  riding  at  anchor  at  a point  on  the  south  coast 
of  the  island  of  Crete.  As  compared  with  one  of  our  ocean 
steamers  it  was  a rude  affair.  It  was  square  at  each  end,  and 
had  in  the  middle  a single  mast,  with  a huge  yard-arm,  to 
which  the  sail  might  be  hung.  It  was  a vessel  of  considera- 
ble size,  and  on  it  were  several  hundred  persons,  composed  of 
sailors,  the  ordinary  passengers,  and  a company  of  Roman 
soldiers  under  the  command  of  a Centurion.  This  Roman 
officer  had  several  state  prisoners  in  charge  whom  he  was 
conducting  to  Rome.  The  most  remarkable  of  these  was  the 
Apostle  Paul,  who,  for  some  reason,  was  treated  with  the 
most  marked  respect  by  all  on  board,  and  especially  by  the 
Centurion. 

The  most  valuable  thing  entrusted  to  this  ship’s  crew  was 
human  life . Besides  this,  the  vessel  was  also  laden  with  val- 
uable merchandise  on  its  way  to  market ; so  that,  in  either 
light,  that  of  precious  human  life,  which  has  no  value  in  rprb- 
ney,  or  of  property  whose  value  can  be  named  in  moneyTrt, 


r 


2 


was  a matter  of  great  moment  that  no  misfortune  should  be- 
fal  that  ship. 

About  the  beginning  of  our  second  fall  month  the  naviga- 
tion of  the  Mediterranean  for  such  rude  and  unwieldy  vessels 
as  that  just  referred  to  was  regarded  as  hazardous.  Even 
now,  at  that  season,  storms  are  not  unusual  of  such  severity 
as  sometimes  to  put  in  peril  the  staunchest  steamer.  How 
much  more  so  the  vessels  which  crept  along  the  shores  of  that 
famous  sea,  only  striking  out  boldly  from  the  land  when  com- 
pelled to,  eighteen  centuries  ago.  That  stormy  period  of  the 
year  had  arrived,  and  there  at  Fair  Havens  — not  the  best  of 
harbors,  but  still  a harbor  — was  the  ship  in  which  Paul  was 
carried  a prisoner  on  his  way  to  Rome.  A long  voyage  was 
yet  to  be  made,  and  the  question  which  agitated  the  master 
of  the  ship  and  the  sailor,  the  Centurion  and  the  private  sol- 
dier, was  the  safety  of  continuing  the  voyage  at  that  season 
of  the  year.  It  is  true  that  just  now  the  weather  is  fair  and 
the  sea  calm,  but  the  time  has  arrived  when  storms  are  to  be 
expected.  Is  it  wise  to  weigh  anchor  and  shake  out  the  sail 
on  the  broad  sea,  or  shall  we  remain  where  we  are  in  this 
harbor?  It  is  evident  that  these  people  on  that  ship  asked 
such  questions.  We  may,  without  any  strain  of  imagination, 
suppose  that  the  Centurion,  with  whom  the  final  decision  of 
the  question  rested,  put  to  the  experienced  ship-master  and 
his  sailors,  and  perhaps  to  intelligent  people  resident  upon  the 
island,  such  questions  as  these:  Does  the  stormy  period  some- 
times delay  until  the  middle  or  last  of  October,  or  is  there 
such  uniformity  in  its  times  that  you  feel  quite  sure  it  will  be 
here  very  shortly  ? Are  these  storms  always  violent  and  dan- 
gerous, or  are  they  sometimes  light  and  harmless?  From  all 
that  you  know  is  it,  in  your  opinion,  safe  to  leave  this  harbor 
now  ? 

The  narration  implies  that  it  was  the  opinion  of  all  on  board 
that  it  would  not  be  very  pleasant  to  remain  in  that  harbor 
several  months,  and  that  it  would  involve  considerable  addi- 
tional cost.  The  thought  of  wintering  there  was  not  agreea- 
ble to  sailor,  soldier  or  prisoner.  The  Centurion,  as  already 
stated,  was  to  decide  the  question  of  remaining  or  risking  a 
continuance  of  the  voyage,  and  he,  like  a wise  man,  asked 


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the  advice  of  those  who  were  supposed  to  have  experience. 
The  ship-master,  perhaps  biased  by  the  cost  of  wintering 
so  far  from  home,  and  his  sailors,  biased  by  the  desire  either 
to  reach  more  attractive  quarters,  or  perhaps  their  home,  ad- 
vised to  venture  the  voyage.  The  sailors  agreed  in  this  ad- 
vise, as  is  evident  at  their  satisfaction,  after  leaving  port,  in 
finding,  as  they  supposed,  their  judgment  confirmed  by  the 
favoring  weather  and  wind. 

One  man  on  that  ship,  and  he  a prisoner,  gave  advice 
which  was  the  precise  opposite  of  that  followed.  He  wa* 
not  a sailor,  but  he  was  a man  of  close  observation  and  clear 
judgment.  It  is  unnecessary  to  consider  his  advice  in  this 
instance  as  the  result  of  any  miraculous  inspiration.  He  was 
born  on  the  shore  of  this  very  sea,  and  had  often  accomplished 
voyages  over  its  treacherous  waters.  He  told  the  captain  and 
Centurion,  as  we  may  well  suppose,  to  “ recall  the  facts  which 
the  past  furnished  as  to  the  danger  of  navigating  these  wa- 
ters, 4 because  the  fast  was  now  already  past/  This  year  it 
may  come  a little  later  than  usual,  but  it  will  surely  come, 
and  when  it  comes  sailing  is  always  dangerous.  It  is  true 
to-day  the  waves  sleep  and  the  winds  are  still;  it  is  true  it 
will  cost  some  money  to  winter  in  a foreign  port,  and  it  will 
not  be  very  pleasant  to  remain  so  long  away  from  your 
homes;  yet  past  observation  makes  it  certain  that  you  can 
not  now  commit  yourselves  to  this  sea  without  putting  in 
great  peril  the  cargo  and  the  lives  on  this  ship.  Therefore, 
sirs,  I admonish  you  that  if  you  venture,  your  voyage  will  be 
with  hurt  and  much  damage,  not  only  of  the  lading  and  ship, 
but  also  of  our  lives/* 

The  Centurion  was  evidently  in  doubt  which  advice  to  fol- 
low, but  finally  determined  to  reject  Paul’s  and  adopt  the 
ship-captain’s.  The  result  I need  not  describe. 

What  is  pertinent  to  my  present  purpose,  and  the  apology 
for  this  extended  introduction,  is  that  the  men  in  charge  of 
that  ship  ventured  on  that  disastrous  voyage  in  view  of  ad- 
vice, and,  as  the  event  proved,  of  bad  advice.  They  declined 
to  follow  what  the  event  proved  to  be  good  advice.  They  fol- 
lowed the  bad  advice,  and  lost  both  the  ship  and  its  cargo 
and  put  every  life  on  board  in  the  most  serious  peril.  Ha 


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they  followed  the  good  advice  they  would  have  escaped  the 
peril  and  the  shipwreck. 

I do  not  propose  to  deliver  to  my  young  friends  and  pupils, 
this  night,  an  elaborate  essay  or  argument.  For  the  first  time 
this  “ College  year  ” I am  conducting  the  Sabbath  evening 
College  service,  so  precious  to  us  from  its  past  history.  Here 
is  a large  company  of  young  men,  gathered  from  many  widely 
separated  homes.  Some  of  them  for  the  first  time  meet  us 
here.  All  profess  to  have  a worthy  object  in  view,  and  all  are 
encompassed  with  the  perils  of  temptation. 

I have  often  watched  the  ships  in  New  York  harbor,  with 
their  sails  reefed,  but  ready  to  be  shaken  out  to  the  wind,  and 
whose  engines  were  holding  their  Titanic  forces  ready  to 
shove  the  great  ships  out  into  the  ocean  for  a voyage  to  an- 
other continent,  and  I always  felt  some  degree  of  sadness  in 
viewing  even  so  grand  a sight,  because  the  gallant  ship  can 
not  cross  the  ocean  without  the  peril  of  collision,  or  the  ice- 
berg, or  foundering,  or  fire.  The  voyage,  begun  with  boom- 
ing cannon,  and  exhilarating  strains  of  music,  and  merry 
smiles,  and  smooth  seas,  and  bright  skies,  may  terminate  in 
some  such  catastrophe  as  overtook  the  Central  America,  or 
smote  the  Arctic,  or  swallowed  up  the  President  in  depths  so 
profound  that  no  voice  ever  came  back  to  tell  its  fate.  To 
steer  the  ship  a point  or  two  this  way  or  that  may  involve  it 
in  any  one  of  the  horrors  which  have  been  recorded  in  the 
history  of  those  u who  go  down  into  the  sea  in  ships  and  do 
business  great  waters.”  The  voyage  is  begun ; how  shall  it 
end?  That  is  the  question  which  saddens  the  otherwise  in- 
spiring sight. 

Not  unlike  this  is  the  situation  of  every  young  man  before 
me.  He  is  just  moving  out  from  the  wharf  on  a voyage  pro- 
pitiously begun,  the  termination  of  which  is  known  only  to 
God.  . He  is  to-day  in  health ; the  year  may  close  over  his 
grave. 

I confess  to  the  feeling  of  sadness,  in  spite  of  many  plea- 
sant facts,  as  we  begin  our  College  year ; and  this  sadness  is 
not  mainly  in  view  of  the  fact  that  death  this  year  may  ter- 
minate the  earthly  career  of  some  one  of  these  young  men. 
To  a good  man  death  is  not  the  greatest  conceivable  calam- 


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ity.  He  who  is  pure  in  heart  ought  not  to  be  considered  un- 
fortunate when  permitted  to  see  God.  He  who  has  filled  up 
his  life  with  works  of  love  and  goodness  ought  not  to  be  com- 
miserated as  so  very  unfortunate  when  the  Master  says  to 
him,  “ Enter  into  the  joys  of  thy  Lord.” 

It  is  not  the  possible  fact  of  death  to  any  one  of  our  num- 
ber that  makes  me  sad  to-night  in  looking  over  this  company 
of  young  men,  but  it  is  this  question,  as  to  how  you,  my 
young  friends,  are  to  endure  the  moral  tests  and  trials  of  this 
year,  which  tinges  this  otherwise  glad  hour  with  sadness. 
Young  men  in  times  past  have  come  here  on  whom  dishonor 
had  set  no  seal  and  left  no  stain ; they  came  pure  from  the 
family  home,  with  the  very  imprint  of  affection  still  on  their 
lips ; they  came,  apparently,  with  noble  aspirations  and  reso- 
lute purposes  to  cleave  to  that  which  is  good  and  to  abhor 
that  which  is  evil ; and  yet,  in  some  fevi  cases,  their  aspirations 
after  good  were  drowned  in  the  vortex  of  passion,  and  their 
abhorrence  of  the  bad  reversed  at  the  imperious  dictate  of  an 
evil  heart  fired  by  the  solicitations  of  sin.  Some  here,  in 
times  past,  have  been  tempted  to  do  deeds  which  they  can 
never  recall  without  shame — deeds  that  have  left  a blot  on  the 
good  name  which  ought  to  have  been  more  precious  than 
great  riches.  Some  have  so  far  forgotten  true  manliness  as  to 
be  false  to  it  by  making  promises  only  to  break  them.  Some 
have  committed  deeds  in  darkness  that  would  make  them 
tremble  if  displayed  to  the  world  in  the  open  day.  Some 
have  squandered  on  appetite  and  the  weak  vanity  of  display, 
and,  it  may  be,  on  worse  objects  still,  the  money  earned  by 
the  sweat  of  the  father  and  the  toil  of  the  mother,  and  even 
the  precious  wages  of  the  sister,  who  was  wearing  out  her 
young  life  to  gain  the  privileges  of  education  for  her  brother, 
that  he  might  become  a man.  Some  have  slept,  and  dozed, 
and  lazed  away  the  hours  and  opportunities  God  gave  them  for 
improvement.  Some — forgive  the  seeming  harshness — some 
who  might  have  been  wise,  have,  through  indolence  or  vicious 
indulgence  become  fools  whom  no  braying  in  the  mortar  with 
wheat  by  the  pestle  of  discipline  could  deliver  from  their 
folly.  Some  who  might  have  shone  in  our  firmament  with 
the  mild  and  beautiful  radiance  of  stars  have  gone  down  into 


6 


ignominious  darkness.  Some,  with  less  discretion  than  the 
bird  for  whose  wary  feet  the  unconcealed  net  is  spread  in  vain, 
have  stepped  rashly  and  with  open  eyes  into  the  uncovered 
net  of  the  saloon  and  the  gambling-hell.  Aye,  some  who 
here  might  have  climbed  to  the  high  places  of  the  earth,  have 
plunged  headlong  into  the  depths  of  shame  for  time,  and  per- 
haps into  the  depths  of  eternal  perdition. 

On  the  other  hand,  here  many  a young  man  has  striven 
against  poverty,  and  misfortune,  and  temptation ; has  met 
the  same  solicitations  to  laziness,  unthrift  and  sin  that  were 
the  occasion  of  ruin  to  the  other,  and  he  has  overcome  them 
all,  rising  from  the  hard-won  victory  into  a manhood  that 
commanded  the  respect  of  all  beholders.  Such  cases  are  not 
rare,  nor  can  they  ever  become  common-place  through  repeti- 
tion, and  they  constitute  the  highest  joy  and  reward  of  the 
true  teacher.  Such  cases  compensate  him  for  all  his  other 
pains  and  toils.  Such  rare  men  come  not  infrequently  from 
obscure  places,  without  patronage  or  help,  and  yet,  with  God’s 
blessing,  do  great  works  for  themselves  and  their  fellow  men. 
Blessings  on  the  toils  of  men  who  so  honor  our  common  man- 
hood. 

The  two  results  reached  by  these  two  classes  are  as  widely 
different  as  the  results  to  two  ships  which  leave  the  same  har- 
bor to  cross  the  same  ocean  for  a common  port,  the  one  of 
which  reaches  the  port  in  safety,  and  the  other  is  wrecked. 
Indeed,  the  results  reached  by  the  two  classes  of  young  men 
in  this  and  other  literary  institutions  may  be  thus  marked : 
the  one,  “ a prosperous  voyage,”  the  other,  “ shipwreck.”  1 
have  said  you,  my  young  friends,  have  just  started  on  a voy- 
age, and  the  question  forces  itself  on  us  for  an  answer,  What 
is  to  be  its  termination  ? a prosperous  voyage,  or  a shipwreck? 

We  are  to  recognize  the  hand  of  God  in  all  things.  If  He 
do  not  aid  us  our  best  efforts  will  be  in  vain ; but,  while  re- 
cognizing this  truth,  I venture  to  assert  that  the  question  will 
be  answered  mainly  by  determining  who  shall  be  your  ad ri- 
sers, and  what  shall  be  the  advice  you  follow.  The  Centurion 
chose  the  ship-master  as  his  adviser,  and  was  shipwrecked* 
Had  he  chosen  Paul  he  would  have  escaped  the  catastrophe. 
My  young  friends,  who  shall  be  your  advisers,  and  what  advice 


7 


shall  you  follow  ? There  are  books  which  offer  themselves  as 
the  advisers  of  youth — books  which  teach  them  to  scoff  at  re- 
ligion and  virtue;  there  are  pamphlets  and  newspapers  whose 
pages  reek  with  vileness  and  the  deeds  of  profligate  and  bad 
men;  there  are  books  of  various  forms  and  styles  which  ad- 
vise men  to  live  regardless  of  God  and  His  Son  Jesus  Christ. 
Shall  these  books  be  your  advisers  ? Will  you  follow  their  ad- 
vice? Do  you  say,  yes?  Then  your  voyage  cannot  but  ter- 
minate in  shipwreck. 

But  here  is  a Book  which  offers  itself  as  the  adviser  of 
youth.  “Wherewithal  shall  a young  man  cleanse  his  way? 
By  taking  heed  thereto  according  to  Thy  Word.”  The  histo- 
ries related  in  it  are  authentic  and  very  ancient — by  many 
hundreds  of  years  more  ancient  than  the  oldest  Greek  narra- 
tives, and  these  histories  are  true.  Its  philosophy  is  profound ; 
its  poetry  charming;  its  morality  pure;  its  religion  divine;  its 
advice  such  as  might;  be  expected  from  the  infinitely  great  and 
good  Father  in  heaven  to  his  little,  ignorant  children  on  earth- 
All  who  have  heeded  this  advice  have  grown  better,  purer, 
happier;  their  path  has  been  like  that  of  the  sun,  shining 
brighter  and  brighter  unto  the  perfect  day.  This  book  flames 
light  into  the  dark  and  hard  places  of  life,  and  down  into  the 
grave  itself.  This  book  of  advice  has  no  peer.  The  like  of  it 
was  never  written  and  never  can  be.  It  stands  alone  as  God?s 
book  of  advice  to  the  young,  and  indeed  to  all. 

And,  young  men,  which  shall  you  choose  for  your  advisers, 
the  books  which  teach  infidelity  and  immorality,  or  this 
book,  on  whose  every  page  God  has  left  his  own  uncounter- 
feitable  sign-manual  ? Take  the  former,  and  your  voyage 
must  terminate  in  shipwreck;  take  the  latter,  and  it  shall  end 
in  glory. 

In  this  College,  among  your  own  selves,  and  not  only  in 
this  town  but  everywhere  else,  you  can  find  those  who,  both 
by  example  and  precept,  shall  advise  you  to  drink  intoxicating 
liquors,  in  violation  of  your  honor  as  members  of  the  institu- 
tion and  your  duty  as  moral  beings,  to  visit  the  places  where 
they  are  sold,  and  where,  perhaps,  the  arts  of  stealing  are  ac- 
quired at  the  billiard  table,  the  card  table,  or  the  faro  bank ; 
they  will  advise  you  not  to  be  so  silly  as  to  be  afraid  of  form- 


8 


ing  any  bad  habit,  as  if  such  great  and  strong  men  as  you 
cannot  control  yourselves  and  resist  any  temptations,  however 
strong!  Oh,  yes,  you  will  find  men  who  shall  give  you  most 
strange  and  dangerous  advice,  and  enforce  it  by  their  own  ex- 
ample. My  soul,  come  not  thou  into  their  secret ; unto  their 
assembly,  mine  honor,  be  not  thou  united;  for  often  in  their 
malignity  do  they  slay  men,  and  in  their  self-will  they  even 
dig  down  the  walls  of  many  a happy  home!  These  advisers  of 
youth  are  so  intent  on  destroying  virtue,  and  truth,  and  honor, 
so  bent  on  the  destruction  of  the  innocent  and  the  unwary, 
that  their  very  sleep  is  taken  away  unless  they  cause  some  to 
fall,  as  if  in  failing  to  destroy  some  they  had  even  failed  in 
duty.  Strange  wickedness!  and  yet  it  is  found  here,  and 
some  who  practice  this  atrocious  wickedness  offer  themselves 
as  your  advisers. 

There  are  other  advisers  who  tell  you  to  scorn  that  which 
is  mean,  to  avoid  that  which  is  polluted,  and  to  be  so  afraid 
even  of  the  place  of  sin  as  not  even  to  pass  that  way.  They 
entreat  you  to  abhor  that  which  is  evil  and  to  cleave  to  that 
which  is  good.  They  point  you  to  God,  whose  goodness  is 
displayed  on  every  side,  and  advise  you  to  love  and  obey 
Him.  They  point  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  died  on  the 
cross  to  save  you,  and  advise  you  to  believe  in  him  to  the  sal- 
vation of  your  souls.  They  point  you  to  the  beauty  and  de- 
sirableness of  a useful  and  virtuous  life,  and  advise  you  to 
attain  it.  They  point  you  down  to  the  dreadful  hell,  and  ad- 
vise you  to  escape  it.  They  point  you  up  to  the  glorious  hea- 
ven, and  advise  you  to  win  it. 

Which  of  these  two  classes  of  advisers  will  you  heed  ? 
Shall  it  be  those  who  solicit  you  to  the  places  of  sin  and  the 
courses  of  infamy,  or  those  who  who  would  lead  you  along 
the  narrow  but  shining  path  of  virtue,  honor,  piety,  goodness? 
Tell  me,  my  young  friends,  who  are  to  be  your  advisers,  and 
I will  confidently  predict  whether  the  voyage  you  are  now  be- 
ginning in  such  favorable  and  pleasant  circumstances  shall 
have  a prosperous  close  or  end  in  shipwreck.  It  is  a great 
and  thrilling  question,  which  1 once  more,  in  this  closing  sen- 
tence, ring  in  your  hearing,  Who  shall  be  your  advisers? 


